35 men to be tortured in saudi arabia for being gay

From Amnesty International (click on link for the "Take Action" web page):

End the Criminalization of Homosexuality in Saudi Arabia

At least 35 men are to be flogged after they attended a "gay wedding" in Jeddah in March, according to an Agence France Presse (AFP) report. The men may be prisoners of conscience, punished solely for their sexual orientation. Amnesty International has written to the Minister of the Interior seeking clarification of the report, expressing concern that the men have apparently been sentenced to flogging, and appealing for any such sentences to be commuted.

Recommended Action

Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:

• expressing concern at the AFP report that 35 men are to be flogged, and, if it is true, calling for the sentences to be commuted regardless of the offence for which they have been handed down
  
• expressing concern that the men appear to have been punished solely for their sexual orientation, and stating that, if so, they are prisoners of conscience, and should be released immediately and unconditionally
  
• asking for details of the exact charges against the 35 men, together with details of any trial proceedings and the evidence against them
  
• stating that you consider the use of flogging as punishment to be cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment amounting to torture, contrary to Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states: "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."
  

APPEALS TO:

Minister of the Interior:
His Royal Highness Prince Naif bin 'Abdul 'Aziz
Minister of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior
P.O. Box 2933, Airport Road
Riyadh 11134, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fax: 011 966 1 403 1185 (it may be difficult to get through,
please keep trying)
Salutation: Your Royal Highness

Minister of Justice:
His Excellency Dr. 'Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Ibrahim Al-
Sheikh
Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice
University Street
Riyadh 11137, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fax: 011 966 1 401 1741
Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Foreign Affairs:
His Royal Highness Prince Saud al-Faisal bin 'Abdul 'Aziz Al-
Saud
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nasseriya Street
Riyadh 11124, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fax: 011 966 1 403 0159 (it may be difficult to get
through, please keep trying)
Salutation: Your Royal Highness


COPIES TO:

Ambassador Prince Bandar Bin Sultan
Embassy of Saudi Arabia
601 New Hampshire Ave. NW
Washington DC 20037
Fax: 1 202 944 3113
Email: info@saudiembassy.net